Alexis Anne “Lexi” Ross, a senior from Clyde majoring in nursing, and Darius Jamal “D.J.” Williams, a junior from Indian Trail majoring in theatre arts, were announced as Western Carolina University’s Homecoming queen and king Saturday, Oct. 29.

The announcement was made during halftime of WCU’s football game versus the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.

WCU students voted online in September to choose their top 10 candidates for king and top 10 candidates for queen from a pool of entrants. A Homecoming court panel conducted interviews with each of the 20 candidates, and then, based on the interview sessions and letters of recommendation from WCU faculty or staff, narrowed the pool of candidates down to the five men and five women who made up this year’s Homecoming court. The WCU student body voted in October to choose the king and queen.

A graduate of Green Hope High School in Cary, Ross is the daughter of Kevin and Debbie Ross of Clyde. Williams is a graduate of Central Academy of Technology and Arts in Monroe. He is the son of Gemetrius McNeil and Victoria Williams-McNeil of Indian Trail.